Category: Drinks

Do you have the post-holiday fatigue of cooking (and eating) huge meals? Smoothies can be a great quick snack or small meal when you don’t have time (or don’t want) to cook.

The smoothie revolution overtook the world about a decade ago. Suddenly we were free from eating solid food or preparing meals and could obtain all the nutrition we needed in one sip with a pureed or “blenderized” creation that helped us satisfy hunger and meet all our nutritional needs. Society was hooked; we had easy meal replacements that tasted great and provided all the necessary nutrients we were missing from not having a full, traditional meal. I can’t argue: smoothies, in my opinion, do provide a host of nutrients and flavors that are convenient. They are a perfect alternative for busy people who need a quick meal, or meal replacement, and, if no other sufficient nutrient sources are possible, sipping a smoothie is better than skipping a meal or reaching for a less healthy alternative. What I’ve learned, however, is that smoothies are not just a morning “thing”- they can be used anytime, anywhere, to satisfy hunger and provide necessary nutrients.

In pregnancy, smoothies come in handy. All you need is a few ingredients, a blender, a large glass, a straw and you’re on your way. While I don’t recommend smoothies as someone’s main meal daily, they can provide a healthy alternative for a meal replacement or a meal on the run that is packed with vitamins, fiber, often protein, and other nutrients that a pregnant woman, and her family, can use in place of skipping a meal. I think smoothies are great in a pinch or when a pregnant woman needs a snack that is filling and nutritious. The best part about a smoothie is that one can’t go wrong with the ingredients- you can basically mix any fruit and vegetables together to create a drink that is satisfying, refreshing, and healthy. Smoothies are a reason to experiment- try different combinations of your favorite flavors and add in sweet or savory flavors to your own taste. The possibilities with smoothies are endless.

I recommend smoothies for any time of the day. You can vary the ingredients to be either sweet for breakfast and desserts or savory to satisfy as a snack or a small meal. I do not, however, recommend using smoothies as a meal replacement on a regular basis. In pregnancy, hunger needs to be satisfied in a sensible way but there is no replacement for a balanced meal that contains sufficient proteins, fibers, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. Here I provide sweet and savory alternatives to try for your next smoothie. Even though savory smoothies often blend into different shades of green or red, many of the savory smoothies contain antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and health oils and fats. The internet is filled with wonderful recipes for any kind of smoothie. Try these and feel free to add in other ingredients. Share your favorite smoothie recipes or what ingredients you use to maximize flavor or nutrition.

The Basic Smoothie

1 cup plain nonfat or Greek yogurt

1 banana (room temperature or cut into slices and frozen)

½ cup of orange juice (fresh is best but store-bought, commercial orange juice is fine)

6 frozen strawberries (put a bag of fresh strawberries in the freezer or keep a bag of store bought whole frozen strawberries in your freezer for this recipe)

Blend for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the blender and blend again for an additional 15 seconds.

Berry Smoothie

1 cup frozen raspberries

½ cup fresh cut strawberries (or 4-6 whole frozen strawberries)

¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 ½ tablespoon honey (fresh honey is best- I use honey that I get from an apiary like the Tanis Apiary in Pompton Plains, NJ- find them via Google for an amazing, full flavored honey)

I am not a morning person. Everyone who knows me can attest that I am a true Night Owl and that early mornings don’t work for me. However, the world of Obstetrics functions 24/7, and we start our days early. Like most people, I need my morning coffee to get my day started, and a second- or third!- cup is not uncommon during a hectic day. We have become the Coffee Generation: we start and end our days with it, and we consume it regularly throughout the day. In fact, there is a whole “coffee culture” in our society that emphasizes how perfectly the well-placed coffee house with its myriad of stimulant-laden beverages is needed in our lives.

Limit Your Intake

However, when a woman becomes pregnant one of the first things we teach her is to limit her caffeine intake. For some women, this is the hardest adjustment to make for the duration of their pregnancy. I recommend limiting caffeine to 200 mg/day for a reason: the data about caffeine is inconclusive but the evidence that does exist suggests that it leads to birth defects, premature labor, or preterm delivery when used in excess of 200 mg/day. Caffeine is a stimulant that can lead to undesirable increases in a pregnant woman’s blood pressure or heart rate. Further, caffeine is a diuretic which leads to increased urination (and women are already spending a majority of their time in the bathroom while pregnant!) that can contribute to dehydration; dehydration makes the uterus irritable and causes premature uterine contractions.

Further, caffeine crosses the placenta, stimulates the baby and leads to sleep cycle disturbances, especially in the later stages of pregnancy, that carry over into infancy. Babies can’t metabolize caffeine so the stimulant effects last longer. Therefore, I recommend that women consume no more than 200mg of caffeine daily, which is the equivalent of a 10-12 oz. cup of regularly brewed coffee per day. The problem is that caffeine is in more than just coffee. Tea, chocolate, soda, and even some over-the-counter medications contain significant amounts of caffeine that can have the same effect on both mother and baby as a cup of coffee.

There are many women who, like me, need the “Morning Jolt” to get their day going. Moreover, there are many women who do shift work, multi-task, or work long hours. Caffeine, then, becomes a necessary evil. However, there are some alternatives a woman can reach for to fend off fatigue and get a recharge. One of the simplest and easiest alternatives I teach women is to grab for cold water. Dehydration is the biggest energy-drainer. Pregnant women tend to not consume enough liquids, especially water, and mild stages of dehydration can cause tiredness and irritability. A full glass of cold water may do the trick to ward off the nagging feeling of tiredness, especially during the day. Similarly, hunger can make pregnant women feel run down or have no energy. A high protein or fiber snack may satisfy hunger and provide a needed boost of energy. Sodas and sugary drinks should be avoided; they contain about 20-22mg of caffeine but typically loads of useless sugars, food colorings, and flavorings.

If a simple fix won’t do, I teach women to reach for beverages that have flavor but less caffeine. Green tea, for example, is loaded with healthy antioxidants and only 40 mg of caffeine compared to the 400mg of caffeine found in a 10 ounce cup of brewed coffee from one of the major retail coffee houses. Chocolate milk makes a healthier alternative to a cup of coffee, especially if its homemade.

Homemade Chocolate Milk

A simple recipe is: one cup of low fat milk that is mixed with a teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder and stirred.

Additional teaspoons of cocoa powder, and dashes of sugar or natural sweeteners like agave, can be added to adjust taste. The milk provides protein and other nutrients while the cocoa provides flavor and only about 8 mg of caffeine.

Listen to Your Body / Baby

Caffeine does not have to be cut out totally but needs to be consumed carefully while pregnant. A pregnant woman should see how her baby is reacting after she finishes her caffeinated drink: if the baby is more vigorous or active immediately after, the caffeine may be too much. Decaffeinated drinks may satisfy the craving for a specific beverage but often those drinks have a different taste that just isn’t the same as the real thing. I’m interested to hear what other women do to satisfy their caffeine cravings? What is your go-to drink or snack when you need a pick-me-up?

Stop any pregnant woman on the street and you are almost certain to find she’s carrying one important item: Water. Whether it’s a bottle, mini jug or even a coffee container, the fact that pregnant women need to stay well-hydrated has become almost automatic within today’s culture. While the importance of water cannot be ignored or downplayed, what we often fail to teach women is how much water daily is enough water and how to accurately, and conveniently, consume all the water she needs during a 24-hour period. Indeed, health care providers often repeat the same mantra to pregnant women at every prenatal visit: “Keep drinking”. What’s surprising, despite being constantly armed with a supply of water or having a source of nature’s miracle liquid close by, pregnant women openly admit to not drinking the daily amount they should. When asked why, the same excuse comes up each time: “I can’t drink another drop of water or I’ll float, and I can’t stand spending my life in the bathroom.”

The reason health care providers continuously push pregnant women to drink water and stay hydrated is because water serves so many beneficial purposes. Water keeps women adequately hydrated to avoid the potentially dangerous condition of dehydration. When pregnant women become dehydrated, uterine irritability, contractions, or preterm labor can follow, all of which have potential impact on the fetus or growing baby. Regarding the growing baby, adequate water intake allows key nutrients, vitamins, and hormones to have a medium for transport into the blood cells that eventually circulate to the placenta which, in turn, get to the baby. A pregnant woman’s body is like a factory that is going 24/7- while her body needs fuel to keep the factory going, it also needs time to cool down and remove any excess waste or debris from production. Water helps to keep a pregnant woman’s body cool by providing a mechanism to produce sweat that, in turn, keeps a woman’s internal thermostat at the right temperature. Water, further, dilutes waste products from the body in the kidneys and transports them as urine to be excreted. This diluted urine, and the frequent passing of urine, insures none of the byproducts linger in the bladder long enough to lead to a bladder infection. Additionally, excess sodium is one of the key products diluted in the urine and the excretion of that excess sodium helps decrease swelling in the fingers, hands, or feet. Since a pregnant woman’s body is in a constant state of production to grow a baby, adequate water intake helps to decrease the symptoms of fatigue or headaches that often accompany pregnancy. Having adequate water intake also helps to keep stool soft and moving through the colon smoothly, and frequently, to avoid constipation. Avoiding constipation also helps to avoid painful hemorrhoids.

What exactly is the right amount of water? The answer depends on several factors. The World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine both concur that the basic minimum amount of water intake for any human being is 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. Essentially, enough water to fill a large standard soda bottle or pitcher, or eight cups of water per day. A cup, then, is defined as 250 milliliters, or the size of a standard 1 cup measuring cup used for baking or cooking. For pregnant women, the recommended amount of water increases, then, to 3 liters, or 10 to 12 glasses of water each day. Pregnant women often groan and think, “How can I get all that liquid in during the day?” Thankfully, there are tips and reminders I give pregnant women to help make getting adequate water intake easier.

First, plain water is not the only source of liquid. Fruit is also an excellent source of hydration and also provides additional nutrients and fiber. Fruits high in water like watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, strawberries, or pears are tastier ways to increase water intake. I recommend freezing grapes, melon balls, or berries and throwing them into a glass of sparkling water as an alternative to plain water or for use as drink to accompany a meal. In fact, fruits, herbs, or spices can be used to add unique flavors to water that make drinking plain water less boring. I added some of my favorite combinations at the end. Similarly, decaffeinated herbal hot or iced teas can be an excellent source of flavored water. However, caffeinated coffees, teas and carbonated sodas should be avoided because they tend to have a diuretic effect on the body and, therefore, contribute to dehydration.

The recommended amount of water, further, does not have to be consumed in one sitting. Sipping water at regular intervals is recommended as opposed to gulping water or drinking large quantities of water at one sitting. Sipping water works to keep a pregnant woman more steadily hydrated and can control the timing of bathroom trips. In contrast, gulping or drinking large amounts of water at once is not recommended because it often leads to uncomfortable feelings of fullness or promotes heartburn. The general rule: You should never feel thirsty and you should always have clear or light-yellow urine. Thirst or dark yellow urine are the body’s signals that its dehydrated and needs water replenished.

As a pregnancy progresses the idea of managing the discomfort of a full bladder with the pressure of the growing uterus in the pelvis is uncomfortable. Skipping water to avoid a full bladder is not the answer. Water is necessary throughout all stages of pregnancy, but with some creativity and an exploration of different flavors, combinations, or sources of food high in water content, your intake of water can be adequate, less boring, and, above all, tasty.

Lemon Ginger Water

Add lemon wedges and ginger to a glass. Add 1-2 ice cubes. Pour over water and allow to sit for 5 minutes

Berry Flavored Water

6-8 blueberries, washed

5 blackberries, frozen

5 raspberries, frozen

2 strawberries, hulled and sliced into quarters, frozen

8 oz (1 cup) of water

Add blueberries to a glass and gently muddle with a spoon or fork to break apart. Add in frozen berries

Add 1-2 ice cubes and pour water over berries. Allow to sit. Water will turn light purple to blue. Mix and enjoy

Cranberry Cinnamon Water

6-8 cranberries

1 cinnamon stick (or ¼ teaspoon of powdered cinnamon)

3-5 red seedless grapes for sweetness (optional)

8 ounces (1 cup) water

Add the cranberries to a glass and muddle with a spoon or fork (the cranberries can also be boiled until they open for additional flavor). Add in the cinnamon stick and pour water over berries. Stir with the cinnamon stick and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add in grapes one at a time for sweetness as desired.